


Lies of Remission

by Escalus



Series: Scott McCall's Shades-of-Gray Theater [4]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Anger, Episode: s05e09 Lies of Omission, Forgiveness, Other, Responsibility, Satire
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-01
Updated: 2017-10-01
Packaged: 2019-01-07 19:27:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,494
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12239199
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Escalus/pseuds/Escalus
Summary: Scott McCall's Shades-of-Gray Theater takes on "Lies of Omission"





	Lies of Remission

The spotlight comes up on the Narrator in the middle of the stage. “Good evening, friends. Our last attempts have been rather vulgar. Tonight, we shall be going for the highest of high dramas!”

Rain starts to fall and it soaks the Narrator, who looks irritated. “You started that a little early. In one of the most heartfelt scenes in Season 5, Scott confronted Stiles over the killing of Donovan Donati. Both young men have been manipulated by Theo Raeken. Both young men are under tremendous amounts of pressure. But it seems that audience can only see the terrible crime against friendship of not believing your best friend no matter how long he’s been lying to you or how much evidence there is.”

“It is a universally held maxim that friends will forgive you without question no matter what you do. But we all know that is really a lie. A Lie of Remission. Let us see what happens when the endless well of Scott’s optimism runs dry.”

The Narrator treads soggily off the stage, whispering a bit too loud. “See, I told you I’d get the name in the opening bit!”

###### 

“Yeah, because you're Scott McCall! You're the True Alpha! Guess what? All of us can't be True Alphas. Some of us have to make mistakes! Some of us have to get out hands a little bloody sometimes. Some of us are _human_!”

The rain stung Scott’s eyes as it rolled down his face. He stared at Stiles, uncomprehending of the cruelty that just spilled forth out of his mouth. It was a lie he told himself often: that Stiles simply didn’t understand the power his words had. That Stiles never meant the vicious commentary he spewed when he was upset. That time would pass and they would be back together the way they had always been.

Regardless of whatever lies he had tried to tell himself in the past, there was a problem right before him that he had to address. Stiles had murdered a chimera. He hadn’t denied it; in fact, he had tried to excuse it by claiming that his father was in danger. But his father hadn’t been anywhere near the library that night, which meant that Stiles had just said this was premeditated. He had gone after Donovan on purpose. 

Scott tried to force himself to ignore what Stiles had just said and get back to the matter at hand. What to do about Stiles committing murder. Isn’t that what he was supposed to be doing, as alpha? But the words ‘Some of us are human!’ echoed in his head. Stiles just hadn’t lied about Donovan; he’d lied about everything from the very first. Stiles had stopped seeing him as Scott on the day he’d been bit. 

It would have been better to focus on the future, but Scott just didn’t see the point anymore. 

So instead, he slapped Stiles upside the head. He didn’t hold back either, though he didn’t use his full alpha strength. It wouldn’t do if he actually knocked him unconscious or broke his jaw. Scott would feel bad if he did that, and the point of this was to stop feeling bad.

The blow was powerful enough to spin Stiles around and drop him on the ground. The offending wrench flew from his hand and skittered across the downpour-slicked concrete and came to rest up against a pile of garbage. 

Scott stood there above him, letting his hands drop to his side. His eyes were glowing now; he could feel it. It was very hard not to let the full transformation take him over. Part of him growled at even this restraint. What was the point of restraining himself?

Stiles groaned as he brought himself up to a sitting position. His lip was bleeding and there was going to be a terrific bruise on the side of his face. He wiped the blood off his lip and looked up. There was anger in his eyes but there was also fear. Fear Scott should have seen long before now. 

“What?” Scott spat. “You think you could say that to me and I’d just take it? Get up.”

Stiles opened his mouth, but Scott could see the dawning horror in his eyes. “I didn’t mean …”

“Get up. You forget I can hear your heartbeat; you meant every word. But, of course you thought that I’d just take it. You’ve been shitting on me since we started being friends, and I thought that being the butt of your fucking sarcasm was the price I had to pay to have a friend. Well, guess what, I was wrong. I don’t have to pay it any more. People actually _like me_.”

Stiles brought his knees up protectively while sitting on the pavement. Maybe he was still stunned. Maybe he was trying to think of something to say back. Maybe he was trying to figure out who it was who was standing before him. Scott thought that Stiles shouldn’t have been surprised. He’d seen glimpses of this anger before, but it had been when Scott was frustrated and out of control. But Scott, while angry, wasn’t out of control right now. He was in control and feeling more in control by the second. 

Scott leaned down, ignored Stiles’ flinch, and jerked him up by the shoulders like he was picking up a pillow. “I said _stand up_!” 

“Scott,” Stiles tried to regain control of the situation. “You’re angry but you’re taking it the wrong way. I only meant that I’m not like you. I can’t do the things you do.”

“You’re too human to tell the truth? You’re too human to trust me?” Scott shouted. “Because last time I checked you didn’t have to be a werewolf to talk to someone.”

Stiles stepped back. Scott could smell the fear wafting off of him. 

“I know what you meant, Stiles, but I also know what you were trying to do.” Scott gritted his teeth. “It’s the same thing you do with your dad. When the conversation doesn’t go your way, you come up with the most hurtful, nasty thing you can think to say in order to do what you just did. Change the topic.”

“I don’t do that.” 

“Mom would’ve believed me?” Scott threw it back in Stiles’ face. “Yeah, I heard about that one. You kinda screamed it in front of every employee of the hospital where you remember my mom worked. How many times have you done that to me, and I just let you.” 

“Scott, I wasn’t trying to blame you. I was trying to make you understand how this could have happened. You came out here and I was just …”

Scott held up one finger. “You were just reminding me that I’m not human. I sometimes forget that when I’m fighting indestructible psychopathic steam-punk cosplayers instead of studying for my AP Biology midterm.” 

“I said that’s not what I meant …”

“Uh-uh. You said your piece, now I get to say mine. Second thing.” Scott stomped over to the jeep bent over and with a grunt flipped the jeep over on its back. It dissipated the burning feeling in his gut for a moment. “Hey. I’m as strong as Parrish.” 

“What the fuck …?” Stiles ran forward and Scott growled at him. It was definitely a warning growl.

“Step back, Stiles. As someone who is not human, I don’t have put up with your bullshit, so now I can concentrate on teaching appropriate lessons.” Scott pointed at the wrecked vehicle. “I did that because you seem to be having trouble with how causality works. I destroyed the jeep. You killed Donovan.” He pointed at himself. “Jeep -- my fault.” He pointed at Stiles. “Donovan -- your fault. My status as King Shit of Shit Mountain doesn’t in any way make you killing Donovan my fault.

Stiles hands tightened around the air. Now he was getting angry, and Scott was glad about it. Scared Stiles would make him feel bad. He could lash out at Angry Stiles. You see, two could play the emotional manipulation game.

“Why the fuck would you do that? You know what that jeep means to me,” Stiles gritted. “Just because I said a few things I didn’t mean.”

“Just because you killed someone and lied about it. Just because you tried to make yourself feel better at my expense.” Scott growled. 

“Look, asshole, when you kill someone then you can pass judgement on me.” 

Scott twisted his neck so it popped. “How about almost killing someone? Like you? Or Jackson and Lydia. Or you and Jackson and Lydia and Allison? Or like Peter? Or Jackson again? Or Gerard? Or Jennifer? Or you again?” The words flowed out of his mouth. “Or the countless people I’ve fought like Peter and Derek and Deucalion and Noshiko and the Nogitsune and Kate that tried to force me to kill? Do you remember that I nearly stabbed Kira to death? Or that I was Kate’s murder puppet for a bit?” 

“I didn’t forget!” Stiles replied. “But you didn’t kill anyone!” 

“Fuck you, Stiles.” Scott spat. “Fuck you for saying I don’t have blood on my hands. That’s all I’ve got! Ever since you …” Scott stepped forward and poked Stiles in the chest so hard he went sprawling again. “… told me that now that I have this power, I have to do something with it. Ever since you told me … “ Scott’s eyes went far away as if remembering something. “Look, you have something Scott. Whether you want it or not, you can do things that nobody else can do. So that means you don’t have a choice any more. That means you have to do something.” 

“You … you memorized what I said?” 

“I listen to everything you say, Stiles.” Scott sneered. “I just don’t agree with it all the time. There is actually a difference. But I did agree with that, and because I agreed with that I’ve feel like I’ve been covered with blood. Everyone that Matt killed, everyone that Gerard killed, everyone that Jennifer killed, everyone who gets killed because of what we did, because I listened to you, I’m fucking drowning in blood.” 

Stiles was touched. “You never said …” He swallowed. “I didn’t know it felt like that.”

“Why should I say anything? Can’t I just assume that you’d understand? You’re not the only one who decided I should become the Protector of Beacon Hills, but you were a big part of it. But that means I’m responsible for everyone who dies because, like the chimeras, they were victims of the supernatural. And that includes, you fucking jackass, Donovan Donati. No matter _who_ killed him.” 

They stared at each other for a long moment. Scott had believed that if he could just get it off his chest, everything would go back to normal. He thought that if he could just get Stiles to understand the incredible pressure he was under, Stiles would at least admit he was wrong to say that. But Stiles never admitted he was wrong about anything, even if he believed he was wrong. He’d try to pretend it hadn’t happened.

That wasn’t going to work this time. 

“Scott.” Stiles took a deep breath. “I was scared. I was terrified that I’d lose you if I just came and told you. So I didn’t say anything. What do you want me to do?”

The anger hadn’t receded. It didn’t go away. Why did he have to be the one to tell Stiles how to act like a decent human being? “I want you to try to remember that there’s a girl dying about 100 feet behind us, and I have no clue how to save her, and it might have been easier if my best friend was there to help brainstorm instead of lying to me for weeks! I want you to try to remember that Kira drove off in a car with her parents to try to find help before her spirit fox consumes her, where I can’t even help her or don’t even know if she’s still alive, so maybe you aren’t the only one under stress right now! I want you to try to remember that I shoved my claws into Corey’s neck out of frustration, so maybe it’s not just you who makes mistakes!” 

Stiles bit his lip. “You don’t even see it do you. You keep wanting me to be you, but I can’t be you.”

Scott roared in Stiles’ face. That was going to get someone’s attention. “Stop making what you do my fault! I’m not your Personal Jesus! I’m not the person who’s going to forgive you your sins. I’m not person you get to crucify to make yourself feel better. I’m the alpha! I’ve been your punching bag for years, but I’m done. You don’t get to use me like that anymore.”

Stiles staggered back because with the look on his face that puzzled Scott. It was like he was expecting this to happen, even though he absolutely had not wanted it to happen.

“I can’t do this anymore, Stiles. I can’t be this and be what you need me to be! You killed someone and lied about it. That’s our responsibility, yours and mine.” 

“You’re contradicting yourself.” 

“Maybe?” Scott shrugged. “I don’t care. What I want for you to do is to get out of my sight. I don’t want talk to you. I don’t want you near my pack. I don’t have time for someone who puts their own feelings above the good of everybody else. So, go. Maybe talk to your dad.”

“My jeep?”

“Fuck your jeep. Walk.” Scott turned around and went into the clinic. He’d vented his rage and ended a friendship. He could mourn it, but he didn’t have time. He had to deal with Liam and Hayden and finding some way, any way, to stop the Dread Doctors. Perhaps he could schedule a time to mourn the feelings dying in his heart over Thanksgiving break.

###### 

With sad violin music the Narrator – whose reliability is to be taken with a grain of salt – comes outside. “And thus passes a beautiful friendship because Scott McCall had the audacity to put himself first.” 

The Narrator goes for high Shakespeare, failing miserably. “What tragedy there is in such a thing! Why, it almost seems that Scott’s patience, the way he never blames Stiles for lying to him, the way he never calls him a murderer or a traitor, the way he never even brings it up again until Stiles does, helps their friendship mend and move forward.”

“But this is the Shades-of-Gray Theater, where people get to act selfishly once in a while as long as it serves a greater goal. And here, Scott gets to remove a problem confronting his pack and express not a little rage while doing it. Such is the way of things when you live in the shadows!”


End file.
